Looking at the bigger picture, there are thousands of people that carry the culture through Apple, and if not a hundred managers that hold the same ideals.... however, when the two top people responsible for the awesome-ness of the retail have both left... we will most definitely see change.

I wouldn't go as far as stating that Apple is on decline, but I would state that the Apple that existed 5 years ago does not exist today.

jobs was gonna be a hard act to follow and i think everybody knew it. has apple ever really had someone at the helm who could measure up to him? Doubtful they will ever again, either.

Of course there is nobody who encompasses the foresight, creativity, talent, trendsetting capabilities, insider connections, devotion and stubbornness Jobs had. But to select the next guy down just because he is there is where I think Jobs' mistake was. His second big one (after refusing surgery and trying mystery medicine until it was too late).

The first one cost him his life.......the second one will cost him his company.

As great as TC is at what he does, creativity, trendsetting and talent do not seem to be among his strengths.

It's clear that Cook should have NEVER left his COO position - he is good for supply chain issues and ONLY that.

The moment he assumed CEO responsibilities, he lost control of his own boat (just see iMac and iPhone supply problems).

The only possible worst choice than him would be Michael Spindler, trust me.

I don't think you can place the entire blame of iMac and iPhone supply problems on Tim's shoulders. Apple is pushing the boundaries of what can be manufactured in mass quantities at their very strict specifications, using new processes. Technology is moving fast (!) right now, it's amazing they are keeping up as well as they are, if you ask me.

----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by blahblah100

Steve Jobs also recommended John Sculley.

Sidetracking, but I can't think of another CEO that was as hands-on with the primary products as Steve was at Apple. That's really what marked a big part of their success. A leader so focused and passionate about the key direction of the company, nobody can ignore them.

You personally may think the store is "stagnant", but have you actually been in one lately? The one closest to me is *rammed* with people during trading hours. On the past few times I've been in there for genius appointments and so on, the place has been packed.

Yes it's packed, but that's not necessarily a good thing. When you have to wait for 45 min for your genius bar appointment because they're running behind, that's not a good thing. When it take 20+ minutes to find a specialist capable of answering your question, it's not a good thing. When you have to wait to find someone to go to the back to get your computer that you're ready to spend thousands of dollars on because every Specialist is busy talking with the teen girls and guys, it's not a good thing.

Honestly, how many MR members wouldn't rather order online and have it shipped to their house without bothering to deal with the crowds.

Sales are up and that is a good thing. The Apple stores are immensely profitable per square foot and that's a good thing. But to say that there is no room for improvement is simply untrue.

Quote:

Originally Posted by newyorksole

This is going to be a telling year.

If Apple doesn't innovate this year then I'm afraid the future will not be so bright.

Define "innovate" because that's such a b***s*** term that everyone loves to throw around in the tech industry.

Samsung, Google, et. al. aren't innovators. They throw every half-baked feature they can cram into Android Phones, and they do it half-a**ed. NFC is a solution in search of a problem. Bigger screens! More megapixels! Big freaking deal.

The entire ultrabook market is a response to the ultraportable market from 10+ years ago, focusing on thin and light. Finally the technology has caught up so that they can compete with desktops. And that applies to the MacBook Air too. Even still, very few companies (maybe Dell and HP) have a distinctive design instead of just copying the popular wedge shape. (I'm not saying that Apple invented the wedge-shaped computer, just that it's been their signature style in the past few years while everyone was producing giant bricks).

So who, in your mind, is the innovator? Or does that just sound like the popular thing to say?

I love it when there's a personnel move at Apple. Always amazed at the number of people that like to throw in their $0.02 like they have really any clue about what they are talking about in terms of its potential impact.

Maybe we'll catch wind that Apple is shifting to a new janitorial service for the main campus and people can chime in on the implications of that as well.

Corporate executives are not product people. Even at a product-oriented company like Apple.

But I understand what you're saying. The retail folks should have more passion about the products than the folks "upstairs"

Which bums me out, I thought I'd never say it -- I have trusted Tim Cook and I still do, Johnny Ive is awesome -- but Jobs said "I had all this money and it didn't matter, what mattered was the company, the products we were making." I just wish we had execs that were as passionate as, say, I am.

--
I'm also not saying that the fire is dying or anything, or doom and gloom, I'm just saying that something exciting needs to happen.

I love how apparently the easiest thing to believe about this is that Apple is completely 100% dead as a company.

Not that maybe, this guy doesn't want to miss his kids growing up just to make products for people who are just going to bitch and complain about them on here anyway.

Not to mention wonder how many $$$$$ he is worth after 12 years at Apple? Why WOULD you stay and work 20 hrs a day and miss life. Especially when you have the funds that I am sure this guy has. Heck go enjoy some of those dollars you worked countless hours for and enjoy life a little.

Yes it's packed, but that's not necessarily a good thing. When you have to wait for 45 min for your genius bar appointment because they're running behind, that's not a good thing. When it take 20+ minutes to find a specialist capable of answering your question, it's not a good thing. When you have to wait to find someone to go to the back to get your computer that you're ready to spend thousands of dollars on because every Specialist is busy talking with the teen girls and guys, it's not a good thing.

Honestly, how many MR members wouldn't rather order online and have it shipped to their house without bothering to deal with the crowds.

Sales are up and that is a good thing. The Apple stores are immensely profitable per square foot and that's a good thing. But to say that there is no room for improvement is simply untrue.

Define "innovate" because that's such a b***s*** term that everyone loves to throw around in the tech industry.

Samsung, Google, et. al. aren't innovators. They throw every half-baked feature they can cram into Android Phones, and they do it half-a**ed. NFC is a solution in search of a problem. Bigger screens! More megapixels! Big freaking deal.

The entire ultrabook market is a response to the ultraportable market from 10+ years ago, focusing on thin and light. Finally the technology has caught up so that they can compete with desktops. And that applies to the MacBook Air too. Even still, very few companies (maybe Dell and HP) have a distinctive design instead of just copying the popular wedge shape. (I'm not saying that Apple invented the wedge-shaped computer, just that it's been their signature style in the past few years while everyone was producing giant bricks).

So who, in your mind, is the innovator? Or does that just sound like the popular thing to say?